Lecturers' beliefs on duties 'disturbing'

THE taxpayers' watchdog has described a belief among some third-level lecturers, that their obligations cease after providing 16 class contact hours a week, as disturbing. This was among the findings of an independent review for Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) after it discovered in 2007 one of its staff was also working full-time for National University of Ireland Galway. Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) John Buckley has examined how other institutes of technology (ITs) have been implementing that review's recommendations, which included ensuring that lecturers fulfil the terms of their contracts, particularly in regard to non-lecturing duties. In addition to class contact, they are required to carry out duties including course design, research, tutorial supervision and exam assessment.

"Third-level institutes need to be in a position to demonstrate that monies provided form State sources are applied for the purposes intended," the C&AG's report said.

He said there is also a need to review the extent to which the AIT recommendations are being implemented across the IT sector, in areas of contract fulfillment monitoring, approval and monitoring of external work, and monitoring of timetabling.